Tasty Beer and Great Company at Yergey Brewing

Yergey Brewing opened in September 2016, becoming Emmaus, PA’s second craft brewery. Located at 518 Bank Street, Yergey Brewing is located just a block from Funk Brewing. The brewery is located in the same building as Triple Sun Spirits.

The 35-seat taproom features an L-shaped bar and table seating. The custom woodwork throughout the space gives a warm, comfortable feeling. Owner, brewer, and retired chemist Jim Yergey can be found chatting with patrons in the taproom while he’s not working behind the bar.

The nanobrewery includes a 2.5-barrel brewing system, pumping out a variety of beers served through the eight taps behind the bar. The beers on tap during my visit included:

Hoptileitious – 8.8% ABV Double IPA – Yergey’s flagship beer and winner of the August 2014 “Be a Brewer for a Day” competition. This Double IPA features a bright, citrus, and floral nose, followed by a mellow malt backbone and finishing with a strong hoppy bitterness.

“A Beer Has No Name” – 7.5% ABV Red IPA – The first whiff of this red IPA offers strong notes of citrus and a hint of mango. Tasting reveals malt with a touch of caramel, citrus and the hoppiness you’d expect.

Saison D’être – 5.1% ABV Farmhouse Saison – Black pepper and spices from the yeast and some floral hop notes dominate the aroma and flavor, and are complemented by a mild backbone of grainy malt.

The King’s Nightcap – 9.2% ABV Imperial Stout – Starts with a chocolate nose and a hint of alcohol, followed by a full-bodied, complex malt flavor dominated by chocolate and other dark malts. Oatmeal provides a pleasing smoothness to the body, but the finish is the roastiness of a traditional Imperial Stout.

Friend of the Devil – 9.5% ABV Belgian Dark Strong Ale – This brew begins with an aroma of spice that quickly warms the chest with a bit of dark caramel and malt richness before ending with a clean finish of dark fruit flavors of fig and raisin.

HOT Chocolate – 6.6% ABV Chocolate Chile American Porter – Simply, Chocolate with the addition of fresh habanero extract. Warmth hits the back of the tongue and throat without overpowering the chocolaty notes.

3rd Edition: Mandarina Bavaria – 4.5% ABV Session IPA – Relatively low alcohol content and hops bursting with tropical flavor and fragrance make this a super-drinkable session IPA. This third edition in the Session Series features the German Mandarina Bavaria hop variety, named for its bright tangerine aroma and flavor.

The Saison D’être was a stand out for me. It was bright, refreshing, and clean. I also enjoyed 3rd Edition: Mandarina Bavaria, which highlighted the tangerine and citrus flavors of the Mandarina Bavaria hop. HOT Chocolate offered nice flavors and a subtle warmth.

Beers are available in 12-ounce or 16-ounce pours for $6 depending on ABV. Flights of 4-ounces tasters with your choice of 4 beers cost $10. Both 32-ounce and 64-ounce glass growlers can be filled to go.

Since it is legal to carry an open container in Emmaus, PA, (Please note this is not the case for all of Pennsylvania.) you can purchase a Yergey Brewing To-Go cup filled with your favorite Yergey beer and take it with you to one of the local BYOB business. If you get your ticket stamped at an Emmaus Theatre BYOB movie, you can bring your ticket and cup in for $1 off your next fill.

Food trucks and local food vendors serve food at the taproom on a regular basis. The veteran owned and family run Brother’s Barbeque was on site during my visit. They served handhelds like brisket sandwich, pulled pork sandwich, pulled pork grilled cheese, brisket taco, and pulled pork taco.

There is a parking lot offering free off street parking at the corner of South 5th and Railroad Streets. The taproom is open Thursday and Friday 4 to 10 PM and Saturday 2 to 10 PM. Stop by and enjoy some tasty beer and great company!